Curb forming machine

ABSTRACT

A curb forming machine with parts which may be mounted in different positions on a frame so that curb may be laid on the left or right side of the frame outside the frame, and on the left or right side inside the frame. A feed hopper delivers curb forming material either directly to an auger housing, for curb formed inside the frame sidewalls, or first to a side chute and then to the auger housing, for curb formed outside the frame sidewalls. A curb forming mold is attached to the auger housing. Adjustable height wheels allow the machine to move along a surface for forming curb.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The presently disclosed and claimed inventive concepts pertain to curb forming machines, and more particularly for machines capable of laying curbs in multiple positions relative to the frame of the machine.

BACKGROUND

Curbs made of asphalt or concrete are placed along the edges of roads and parking lots in order to create a separation, and to channel runoff water into diversion structures. Sometimes such curbs are placed under guardrails. The guardrails are metal rails that are supported by posts with the post spaced approximately 10 feet apart, and the posts being made of either metal or wood. One problem in having a curb directly under a guardrail is that there may not be enough clearance for a curb forming machine to form the curb under the guard rail, in which case the guardrail has to be installed after the curb is laid. This is inconvenient if a guardrail has already been placed and a curb must be placed under it.

Another problem with current curb placing machines is that they tend to have different curb laying characteristics depending on if the machine is going uphill or downhill. Better formed curbs are created when the machine is going uphill, but curb forming machines are constructed with the curb forming mold on one side or the other of the machine. The mold is on the left side of the curb forming machine as it is moving forward. Thus, a curb can be laid with the curb forming machine on the left side of a roadway, and the curb forming machine moving against traffic. If a curb needs to be placed on the right side of a road, the curb forming machine would go in the opposite direction, also against traffic. The problem comes when the direction of travel must be downhill, when better curbs are formed by a machine going uphill. Another problem is if a curb needs to be laid under a guardrail, in which case a special curb machine is used which has a side chute extending out to one side. Material is delivered through the side chute to form the curb under the rail. Thus it is possible that 3 different curb machines might be needed for a particular job.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The purpose of the Abstract is to enable the public, and especially the scientists, engineers, and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection, the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The Abstract is neither intended to define the inventive concept(s) of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the inventive concept(s) in any way.

The disclosed device is a curb forming machine which can form curbs in three or more different positions. It can form curbs using a side chute which extends to the side of the frame of the curb forming device. This side chute can be reversed and used to lay curbs on either side of the frame of the device. This allows it to form curbs under guardrails and going in either direction, depending on the preferred direction. It can also form curbs which are formed inside the side rails of the frame, and it can form them on the left or right side or the center of the frame. This multi position curb laying capability replaces at least three separate machines and allows one machine to perform the roles of at least three machines.

The disclosed form curbing machine includes a frame, with a left side and right side, a front and a back, with transverse members between the left and the right frame sides. The front of the frame includes two wheels which are linked together with a tie rod so that the machine can be pulled and steered from the front. A tow handle is attached to the front wheels for pulling and steering. The rear of the machine includes a single wheel or set of wheels which rotates to follow the path set by the two front wheels. Each of the three wheels has a height adjustment screw, which the operator uses to adjust the height of the machine depending on the type of curb being formed.

Mounted on the frame is an engine, with a gasoline powered engine being suitable for this task. The engine powers a drive shaft, and the rotation of the drive shaft is transferrable to three or alternatively four different drive shaft positions by sprockets and chains.

Several removable and interchangeable pieces are assembled on the frame depending on the position of the curb to be laid. The possible positions of curb to be laid includes a curb which is formed to the outside of the frame on either the left or the right side, and a curb which is formed on the inside of the frame of the machine, either on the left or the right side or in the centerline of the frame.

To lay a curb which is outside the frame of the device, a side frame extension is placed on the side of the frame that the curb is going to be on. The side frame extension has two U-shaped loops which go over the side of the frame and it extends out beyond the side of the frame. The side frame extension supports the feed auger that is attached on that side. A side chute is attached to the frame and to the side frame extension. The bottom of the side chute is supported by the frame of the extension, and fits over the feed auger which moves material from the bottom of the side chute and into a curb forming mold. The curb forming mold trails behind the curb forming machine as it moves along the ground, and forms the free flowing asphalt or concrete into the shape of the desired curb. The auger which operates at the end of the side chute is powered by the drive shaft by gears and chains.

Lastly, a hopper is placed on top of the frame and connects to the side chute. The hopper has a sloping bottom, so that when curb forming material is placed in the hopper it slides along the bottom of the hopper and through a material passage at the base of the hopper. Below the material passage of the hopper is the side chute. The side chute attaches to the bottom of the hopper on one end, and it attaches to a frame extension which extends out beyond the side of the curb forming machine. To set up the machine so that a curb is formed on the right side of the machine instead of the left side, the pieces described above are removed from the frame and reassembled on the right side of the frame, with the side chute extending out beyond the right side of the frame, engaging the frame extension and the auger, which is also moved to the opposite side of the machine.

To form a curb which is to be laid between the left and right side members of the frame, the parts which are described above are removed from the machine. The machine is then assembled with an auger and a drive train attached to a transverse frame member so that a feed auger is inside the frame, adjacent to the left or the right side of the frame. The motor turns the drive shaft which by gears and a drive chain turns the auger. Over the auger is placed a different type of chute, called a drop chute. This chute directs the curb forming material directly down, where it is moved by the auger and forced into the curb forming mold below the drop chute. Above the drop chute, the same hopper is mounted, with the drop chute attached to the material passage at the bottom of the hopper. Material is thus fed into the hopper, flows down the sloping bottom of the hopper, through the material passage and into the drop chute, in which an auger is in the bottom of the drop chute. From the bottom of the drop chute the auger pushes material into the curb mold which trails behind the machine as it is pulled.

Still other features and advantages of the presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s) will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description describing preferred embodiments of the inventive concept(s), simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated by carrying out the inventive concept(s). As will be realized, the inventive concept(s) is capable of modification in various obvious respects all without departing from the inventive concept(s). Accordingly, the drawings and description of the preferred embodiments are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive in nature.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosed paving machine.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rear of the disclosed paving machine.

FIG. 3 is a view of the rear of the paving machine showing curb formation on either the left or the right side of the frame.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the auger housing and feed auger.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the side frame extension of the paving machine.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the side chute of the paving machine.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the side frame extension mounted on the frame of the paving machine.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the curb forming mold.

FIG. 9 is a top view of the disclosed curb forming machine showing the machine configured to place a curb inside the left and right frame members.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

While the presently disclosed inventive concepts are susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrated embodiments thereof have been shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the inventive concepts to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the presently disclosed and claimed inventive concepts is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the inventive concept(s) as defined in the claims.

Some preferred forms of the disclosed technology are shown in the FIGS. 1-9. FIG. 1 shows the curb forming machine 10, with a frame 12, with a left side of frame 14 and a right side of frame 16. Shown is a front of frame 18 and a rear of frame 20. Shown in FIG. 1 are front wheels 22 which are connected by a tie rod 24 (visible in FIG. 9). Shown is a rear wheel 26, which in this case is made up of three sub wheels, which are mounted to a height adjustment screw 28. The machine of the invention is powered by an engine 30, which is mounted at the front of the frame 12. Each of the wheels have a height adjustment screw 28, with a handle on top which is used to activate a screw which moves the frame 12 up and down in relation to the ground over which the curb forming machine 10 passes. The curb forming machine 10 can take a number of configurations, sizes and dimensions, but as an example of how it could be constructed, the frame 12 could be made up of square steel tubing, with cross members attached to the left side 14 and right side 16 of the frame. Shown in FIG. 1 is a hopper 52 into which curb forming material, which is a generally free flowing asphalt mix, is placed. The bottom of the hopper 52 is sloped toward a bottom opening, so that the curb forming material feeds into an opening and is pushed by an auger into a curb forming mold 50, which is shown in FIG. 2. Shown in FIG. 1 is a side chute 58 which is placed for storage on the frame 12 in front of the hopper 52. Also placed in this position for storage is the side frame extension 44 which is shown in FIG. 1 as it would be transported.

Shown in FIG. 2 is the rear of the curb forming machine 10, with the rear wheel 26 and a height adjustment screw 28. In this example of the curb forming machine 10 the rear wheel is made up of three sub wheels and is rotatable around the shaft of the height adjustment screw 28. Similar wheels for the front wheels 26 are also used. Shown in FIG. 2 is the side frame extension mounted on the left side of the frame 14, with the curb forming mold 50 attached to auger housing 68.

The path of product can be shown in FIG. 3. Product is placed into the hopper 52, and flows along the sloping bottom of the hopper 52 through an opening in the bottom of the hopper 52. If the curb forming machine 10 is set up as in FIG. 3, the curbing material then flows as a mass into the side chute 58, and from there into the auger housing 68 which surrounds the feed auger 48. The top portion of the auger housing 68 is open to allow the curbing material to flow into it, with the lower portion of the auger housing 68 being closed which forms a compaction chamber 70. FIG. 4 shows the auger housing 68 assembled in a position so that a curb is formed inside the left and right side members of the frame 14 and 16. Thus, four different positions are possible for the curb to be formed. One is to the left and right on the outside of the frame and the third and fourth positions to the left and right of the center line of the frame, inside the frame members.

Thus, FIG. 3 shows two of the positions in which curb can be laid. Either of these positions would be chosen by assembling the appropriate parts on that side of the frame 12. FIG. 4 shows the auger housing 68 and the feed auger 48 located within the left side of the frame 14 and the right side of the frame 16. The auger housing 68 could also be mounted on the right side of the frame 16, but between the frame members, giving four possible positions for forming a curb. Shown adjacent to the auger housing 68 is the compaction chamber 70, which is a closed portion of tubing which is adjacent to the curb forming mold 50. Shown in FIG. 5 is the side frame extension 44, which includes u-shaped loops 46 which hook over the edges of the left or right side of the frame, 14 or 16. The side frame extension 44 is used when curb is to be formed outside of the frame 12, as shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 show the side frame extension 44 mounted to the frame 12, and serving as the mounting position for other components for forming the curb as shown in FIG. 3. Shown in FIG. 7 is the side chute 58. This would be attached to the bottom of the hopper 52 and would direct material to the side of the frame 12 as shown in FIG. 3, and would deliver material into the auger housing 68 for compression and extrusion into the curb forming mold 50.

FIG. 7 shows the side frame extension 44 mounted on the frame 12 of the curb forming machine 10. This could be a view of either the left or the right side mounting of the side frame extension 44. FIG. 8 shows the curb forming mold 50 which is attached at the end of the auger housing 68, and which forms the curb material into the shape of a curb. It is dragged forward along with the curb forming machine 10 as curb is laid.

FIG. 9 shows a top view of the curb forming machine 10 set up with the auger housing 68 in an internal position inside the frame, showing the feed auger 48 and the compaction chamber 70, with the curb forming mold 50 attached to the bottom end of the compaction chamber 70. Also shown is a tow handle 72 as well as the wheels 26 and a tie rod 24 which is described elsewhere. Shown in dotted lines in FIG. 9 is an alternate position of the auger housing 68 in which it would be adjacent to the right side of the frame 16. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A curb forming machine with a frame and an attached engine, wheels, and height adjusters, comprising: a hopper mounted to said frame, the hopper with a slanted bottom and a material passage for curb forming material adjacent to the slanted bottom and to one side of the hopper, in which the hopper is removable from said frame and reversible so that the material passage can be on the left side or the right side of the frame; a side chute which is removably attachable to said hopper passage of said hopper, with an end of said side chute ending outside said frame for delivering material to an auger housing and a feed auger with a curb forming mold mounted to said auger housing, with said side chute reversible to a left or right position outside of said frame, for forming a curb from said curb forming mold on a left or right side of said frame; a driveshaft from said engine with connections from said driveshaft to gears for attachment of said feed auger in one of four possible positions; and at least three wheels with height adjusters, for adjusting the height of said frame from the ground, said wheels for allowing said machine to move along the ground when laying curb.
 2. The curb forming machine of claim 1 which further comprises a frame side extension which is removably attachable on a side of the frame and extends to one side of the frame, with said frame side extension movable to either side of said frame, with the frame side extension for supporting said auger housing, with attached curb forming mold.
 3. The curb forming machine of claim 1 in which said frame has a raised portion on the left and right side rails, for engaging the frame side extension.
 4. The curb forming machine of claim 1 which further comprises a storage rack for said side chute, drop chute, and said frame side extension for holding said side chute when it is not in use.
 5. The curb forming machine of claim 1 in which said auger housing further comprises a compaction chamber for forcing said curb forming material into said curb forming mold.
 6. The curb forming machine of claim 1 in which said machine further comprises four auger housing mounting positions, two inside the side walls of said frame, and two outside the sidewalls of said frame, with said auger housing and feed auger mountable in any of the four positions.
 7. A curb forming machine with a frame and an attached engine, wheels, and height adjusters, comprising: a hopper mounted to said frame, the hopper with a slanted bottom and a material passage for curb forming material adjacent to the slanted bottom and to one side of the hopper, in which the hopper is removable from said frame and reversible so that the material passage can be on the left side or the right side of the frame; an auger housing attachable to said machine in one of four mounting positions, two inside the side walls of said frame, and two outside the sidewalls of said frame, with said auger housing attachable to said hopper material passage for mounting position inside said frame; a side chute which is removably attachable to said hopper passage of said hopper, to which said auger housing and feed auger may be attached, with an end of said side chute ending outside said frame for delivering material to said auger housing and to said feed auger, with a curb forming mold mounted to said auger housing, with said side chute reversible to a left or right side of said frame, for forming a curb from said curb forming mold on a left or right side of said frame; a driveshaft from said engine with connections from said driveshaft to gears for attachment of said auger housing and feed auger in one of four possible positions; and at least three wheels with height adjusters, for adjusting the height of said frame from the ground, said wheels for allowing said machine to move along the ground when laying curb.
 8. The curb forming machine of claim 7 in which said frame has a raised portion on the left and right side rails, for engaging the frame side extension.
 9. The curb forming machine of claim 7 which further comprises a storage rack for said side chute, drop chute, and said frame side extension for holding said side chute when it is not in use.
 10. The curb forming machine of claim 7 in which said auger housing further comprises a compaction chamber for forcing said curb forming material into said curb forming mold. 